When considering items we absolutely needed for our RV adventures, we immediately included a generator and onboard battery backup power to our list. We purchased a dual-fuel generator big enough to power our AC and Keurig for when we boondock and for emergency situations when we lose shore power at our annual campsite. We upgraded our onboard battery bank and inverter to also provide us with more longevity when staying off-grid for longer periods of time. What we completely overlooked is the everyday power needs we would have when not fully hooked up to power.
Charging our phones, tablets, and laptops became a more challenging chore when we had to start the generator. We found that we needed something smaller, more mobile-friendly, and diverse in providing us power when boondocking. We didn’t know it then, but we would also come to rely heavily on this portable power for car and tent camping, as well as when vending at markets and fairs for our small business. We needed it for many of the reasons listed here but wanted it for many more we didn’t even realize when we purchased it.
Solar Generators: The Choices are Endless
We researched dozens of options for solar generators. We found this article helpful and easy to read. There are compact options that will power smaller electronics and are easy to carry, while there are also much larger generators with enough power for a van or small camper. We settled on something in the middle.
Once we determined the amount of power we needed, we looked at the many brand options. We have heard a lot of great things about Jackery and Goal Zero. Nomadic friends of ours have both and gave glowing reviews. We found that we couldn’t find quite the right Jackery for our needs. We loved the Goal Zero, but couldn’t justify the price of the battery and solar panel package we ultimately wanted.
We knew we wanted USB/USBC and 110V options. We knew we wanted easy use and set up with the solar panel. We also knew we wanted it to be as lightweight as possible while still providing enough power to last us through a few rainy days of tent camping if needed.
The Right Fit – Anker 535 Solar Generator
We already use Anker power banks for our phones, charging cords for electronics, and surge protectors in our RV so when we saw they also carried a line of solar generators, we knew it was the right fit for us. We settled on the Anker 535 Solar Generator with a 100-watt solar panel. We love that the Anker has a variety of ways it can be charged, has several of each type of charging options we were looking for, and is rated as extremely user-friendly.
We lucked out on Black Friday last year and were able to get our battery with a solar panel for $399 on Amazon. We put it to the test the very next week while tent camping. The Anker did not disappoint! We were able to blow up our air mattresses, charge our electronics, and power up our camping fans over our four-day trip. We didn’t even have to recharge the battery.
Key Features
The key features we love about our Anker 535 solar generator include:
- It’s a clear and easy-to-read screen that tells you the battery level, hours of use, and the output of power being used.
- The suitcase-style solar panel can be set up anywhere and angle to absorb as much as possible.
- Its semi-lightweight portability. Our Anker weighs in at about 15 pounds, which isn’t the most portable battery we looked at, but it has an easy-to-carry handle and can fit in almost any packing bin or cube we travel with.
- The 5-year warranty. Anker has historically been an incredibly reliable brand for us. Their customer service is top-notch, handling issues quickly and with a friendly attitude. We have had more than one cord and battery replaced by them over the years and they continue to stand by their products.
- The versatility of our battery is by the far the best feature. We can power one or ten items at a time using a variety of methods which makes this battery an all around great purchase for us.
The most surprising feature is how fast it charges (and stays charged) with the solar panel. While we attended a week-long campout in the hottest part of the summer, the Anker battery sat in the middle of our communal camp area charging everyone’s phones, cameras, and computers and never dipped below 95% charged while in the sunshine. We became known as the people with the power as other campers all came to us to power their air pumps, lanterns, and fans throughout the week.
Battery Bank and Beyond
Our Anker 535 has been used over a dozen times in the last 9 months. We have taken it boondocking with us in our RV and can watch TV without starting our noisy generator. We have taken it car camping and used it to blow up our mattresses as well as recharge our phones. We always bring it when we go tent camping to charge our dometic camp sink, our camping fan, and to keep our tablet charged so we can watch movies in the evenings. We also never go to a market or fair without it now either. The Anker keeps our square checkout station powered all day, our mobile hotspot charged up, and our neck fans fully powered for when it is hot outside!
We know that we will continue to get use out of our Anker battery for many more seasons and for many more reasons than the ones we have already explored. We just pulled it out the other day while hanging out in our RV site to power up our laptops so we could keep working outside in the beautiful summer weather we have here on the mountain.
Our Anker 535 is a great product. We would recommend it for any RVer to have on hand for necessity, but also for luxury. If you’re not an RVer, it is great for adventurers, mobile business owners and general travel. Keeping our important items powered keeps us going for our wild wandering lifestyle!
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